Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



W. A. GEIGER FRICTION SHOCK BSORBING MEGHANISM Nov. 22, 1927.

Filed Feb. 24,- 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m fz/Pfg; @y @W g H @KH ferentembodiment.

Nov. l22, 1927.

PATENT OFF-ICE.

WILLIAM'. A. GEIGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. H. EINER,INC., OF

' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBINGMECHANISM.

Apprication sied February 24,1925. serial No. 11,032.

rlhis invention relates -to improvements friction shock absorbingmechanisms. c One object of the invention is to provide a high capacitymechanism having preliminary spring action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of thecharacter-indicated, especially adapted for railway draft riggings,including a main spring resistance, a

plurality of friction elements and a co-oper ating friction means,wherein,y thefriction means and elements are arranged to move as a unitduring a predetermined portion of the compression stroke of themechanism, the shocks at that time being absorbed entirely by the mainspring resistance.

'A still further object of the invention is to provide a friction shockabsorbing mechanism including a` friction shell and a plurality ofspring resisted friction shoes cooperating therewith, wherein ,the shellis adapted for limited movement during the compression of the mechanismto provide for a purely spring resistance during a predeterminedpreliminary portion of the compression stroke.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a friction shockabsorbing mechanism embodying a friction shell and a plurality ofco-operating friction elements, the arrangement being such that there isan initial movement in unison of the shell and elements to absorb thelighter shocks and a subsequent relative movement of the frictionelements and the shell to absorb the heavier shocks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully andclearly appear from the description and claims herinafter following.

lln the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is alongitudinal, horizontal, sectional view of a portion of a railway draftrigging showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is avertical transverse, sectional view corresponding substantially to theline 2 2 of Figure 1. y horizontal, sectional view of a portion of arailway draft rigging showing a slightly difof my invention. Referringto Figures 1 and 2 of the drawfriction shock absorbing' And Figure 3 isa longitudinal;

ings, 10-10 denote the usual channel shaped center or draft sills of arailway car underframe; lto the` inner faces of which are secured lfrontstop lugs 11-11, and rear stop lugs 12`-12, of usual construction. Aportion of the drawbar is shown at 13, the same having operativelyconnected thereto a hooded yoke 14, of well known form, and within whichis disposed the shock 'absorb` ing mechanism proper, hereinafterdescribed in detail. -The yoke and parts contained therewithin aresupported in operative position bythe detachable saddle plate 15.v

The improved shock absorbing mechanism, as shown, comprises, broadly,cage A; a friction shell B; a'pair of shoes C-C; two sets of springplates a front follower E, a spring follower a twin spring resistance G.

The spring cage A is preferably of rectangular cross-section and isprovided with a transverse rear wall 16 adapted to co-op'erate with therear stop lugs 12 in the manner of the usual rear follower, the forwardportion of the spring cage A being reduced in cross-sectional extent asindicated at 17.

friction D-D F; and

Slidably mounted on the forward end of the spring cage A is the frictionshell B, Said shell being rectangular in form and slightly larger sothat the rear end of the samefits over the end of the spring cage andvis adapted to have sliding movement with reference to the cage. Thefriction shell B is provided with intuned shoulders 148-48, which areadapted to abut against the outer end walls of the spring cage A s'o Yasto limit the inward movement of the friction shell. The outward movementof said shell 13 is limited by bolts 118, which extendthrough lugs 119`formed at the corners of the spring cage A, and through the webs 120 ofthe friction shell B. The in- Iier faces of the side walls 19'-19converge inwardly of the shell thereby providinig wedge faces 20-20extending at an ange with reference to the longitudinal axis of themechanism.

The friction shoes C-C are two in number and of similar` construction,each of said shoes being provided with an outer fiat face 21correspondingly inclined to the wedge faces 20-20 of the friction shell,and adapted to co-act therewith. Each of the a spring l ins shoes isprovided with an outwardly turned ange 22 adapted to co-act with theshoulders 18 on the friction shell B to prevent excessive outwardmovement of the friction shoes.

The two sets of spring plates D-D are inter osed between the inner facesof the frictlon shoes C-C, and tend to yieldingly hold thefriction'shoes in spaced relation. Each of the sets of spring plates D-Dcomprises a lurality of nested curved plates, as clearly s own in Figure1, bearing on the inner flat faces of the friction shoes G-C, the setsbeing disposed in opposite directions, and spaced apart by centrallyarranged spacing plate 23. The inner ends of the friction shoes G-C aredirectly engaged b thev spring follower plate F, coacting wit the springresistance G interposed between the follower plate F and the rear wall16 of the spring cage. The outer ends of the friction shoes C-C engagethe rear surface of the front follower E of the mechanism. The springresistance G is inserted under initial com ression and normally holdsthe parts in t e position shown in Figure l with the flanges 22 of thefriction shoes C-C in abutment with the shoulders 18-18 of the frictionshell B.

The operation of the mechanism, assuming an inward or butfing movementvof the drawbar is as follows: As the follower E is moved inwardly of themechanism, the same will carry therewith the friction shoes C-C, theinner ends of the friction shoes C-C bearing upon the follower plate Fand thus compressing the spring resistance G. At the same time thefriction shell B will be carried rearwardly in unison with the frictionshoes C-C. This action will continue until the shoulders 18-18 upon thefriction shell come into engagement with the end of the spring ca e A,whereupon rearward movement of t e friction shell will be arrested, andthe shoes C-C will thereafter be forced to move upon the frictionsurfaces 20-20 of the friction shell. Due to this action, the resistanceoffered will be greatly augmented. Inward movement of the front followerwill be finally arrested by engagement thereof with the outer ends ofthe fr1c. tion shell, thereby reventing the spring resistance element ombeing driven solid. Upon removal of the actuating or compression force,the friction shell and shoes will return to their original positionsunder the inuence of the spring resistance G and the plates D--D, thebolts 118 serving to limit the outward movement of the shell, and theflanges 22 and shoulders 18-18, maintaining the friction shoes C-Cagainst separation from the friction shell.

Referrin to Figure 3, there is shown a slightly di erent embodiment ofmy invention, it being understood that the same will be mounted betweenthe draft sills. and associated with stop lugs, a front follower, andyoke, in the same manner heretofore described in connection with theconstruction shown in Figures 1 and 2. ln such said friction shell maybe formedjntegrally with the spring cage A', if desired. The frictionshell B is the same in all respects as the friction shell B, except forthe fact that it is fixed with reference to the spring cage A. Thefriction shoes C-C also closely resemble the friction shoes C-C, exceptas shown, they are preferably made slightly less in length. Disposedbetween the fric tion shoes C-C are a pair of pressure-transmittingelements 51-51`A such elements being of greater length than the frictionshoes CC. Interposed between the pressuretransmitting elements 51-51 aretwo sets of curved spring plates D-D, the sets of plates beingoppositely disposed, and separated by a central plate 52. The centralplate 52 is of the same length as the pressure transmitting elements51--5l, and also acts as a pressure transmitting element, as well as aspacer for the springs D-D. The forward ends of thepressure-transmitting elements 51-51 and 52 are adapted to abut againstthe usual front follower (not shown), and against the spring followerl", gliich bears upon the main spring resistance In operation, uponinward movement of the usual frontfollower, the same will initiallyengage the outer ends of the pressuretransmitting elements 51-51 and 52,which movement will he transmitted directly to the main springresistance G through the spring follower F, during the preliminaryportion of the compression stroke. During this preliminary action, arelatively slight amount of friction resistance will be created -betweenthe plates 51, and the shoes C-C.

Upon continued inward movement of the follower, the same will eventuallyengage the outer ends of the friction shoes C-C, thereafter causinginward movement of the friction shoes with reference to the frictionshell B', whereby the resistance offered during the final portion of thecompression stroke will be greatly augmented due to the frictionalengagement between the shoes and the wedge friction surfaces of thefriction shell, and induced flexing of the s ring plates D-D". Upon thepressure eing relieved, the spring resistance G will force all themovableparts outwardly to their respective original positions.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, but the same is illl llO

merely illustrative and .l contemplate vall changes and modications thatcome within the scope of the claims appended hereto,v ll cla: y .1. lina friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a springcasing; el a main follower, said follower and casing being'relativelymovable; a main spring resistance disposed within said casing; afriction shell having inwardly converged wedge friction surfaces;friction' shoes movable inwardly of lthe mechanism by engagement withthe follower, said shoes having friction surfaces engaging with theshell surfaces and normallyr disposed in their outermost osition withrespect to the shell, said shoes eing adapted for movement relativelytoward each other,.laterally; spring means interposed between the shoesresisting relative approach of the shoes; and pressure ltrans-l mittingmeans interposed between the main follower and the main springresistance for eecting compression of the main spring resistance for apredetermined initial ortion el the compression stroke of the mec anismindependently et any movement relativelyr between said friction shelland'friction yshoes during said pireliminary portionof the compressionstr e, said main `spring resistance opposing movement vof said shoesafter said predetermined initial compression of the mechanism.

2, ln a friction shock absorbing mecha-` nism, thecombination with aspring cage; of a main spring resistance within the cage; a mainfollower; a, shell having friction wede faces; a compressible sectionalwedge co-acting with the friction shell and interposed between -the mainfollower and mam spring resistance, said shell and wedge be- Y ingmovable with respect to the-spring cage during a predeterminedpreliminary ortion of the compression stroke of the mec anism opposed.by said main spring resistance; springl meansv interposed between theVsections of the wedge tending to hold said wedge. expanded; and meansfor arresting relative movement of the shell'and cage to effect relativemovement of the wedge and shell during the remaining portion of thecompression stroke, the actuatin force heing transmitted from said we geto the main-spring resistance during said remain-v ing vportion of thestroke. g

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism,V the combination with asprin cage;

of a spring resistance meansl within said cage; a friction shell, saidshell anxd cage being relatively movable; means for limiting themovement of the shell with reference to the cage after a predeterminedcom`ressien of the mechanism; a plurality of we e friction shoescooperatin with the ation shell, movement of sai shoes being'resisted bythe main spring resistance means during the entire compressiony strokeofthe mechanism, and the outer ends of said shoes being adapted toreceive the' actuating force; and yielding means interposed Vbetweensaid shoes.v

ln witness that l claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my namethis 16th day ol February;l i925..

T El

